To Kill The MockingBIRDS
by scoutfinches
Summary: Maycomb County was once a quiet, solemn place. Until one spring morning when crows deviate in the Radley yard. Is it coincidence, it is it a ploy to destroy the town once and for all?
1. Chapter 1

It was a chilly spring morning in Maycomb County. The wind whistled through the pecan trees, and as usual, the local defense lawyer, Atticus Finch, was reading the newspaper.

At the age of fifty, he was still quite strong. He was able to provide everything his two children needed, even if he only played touch football, not tackle.

His reading was interrupted by three things that morning. One of which was a normal occurrence.

The first thing that stopped him were small footsteps. The footsteps of his daughter, Scout. She ran right to him. She kissed him on the cheek and said, "Good morning, Atticus!"

"Good morning to you as well, Scout!"

Atticus held his beloved daughter close and ruffled her short, brown hair. "Do you want to read with me? I was just getting to the good parts. The comics and the metro, precisely!"

Atticus always knew what to say, and Scout was more than glad to read with him. Their voices filled the morning air as Miss Maudie Atkinson tended to her garden and as Stephanie Crawford rocked on her rocking chair.

The morning was just about perfect.

"Atticus! Atticus!" The voice of his son, Jem, called to him.

He stopped reading, but kept Scout close-by. "What is it, son? "

"Atticus, there's a bunch of crows in the Radley backyard. They're just sittin' on the big tree back there.. And. . And.. "

"Jem, I'm sure it's fine. It's alright, just go back and help Cal with breakfast. I was just reading the paper with Scout, we'll come over in a minute." Atticus tried to reassure his son and continued to listen to Scout read. Jem's voice covered up hers, however.

"Atticus, I'm serious! They're not... Normal crows! Something's wrong, I just know it!"

"Jem, I can assure you that nothing is wrong with those birds! You're scaring your sister.. Just please, go inside and I'll meet you in a minute, all right? If you're scared as you are, bring me your gun and sit it right here next to me. You understand?"

"Yes, Atticus."

Jem walked away from his family and sat in the kitchen with the family help, Cal.

"He thinks nothing of it, Cal. Not a single thing!"

Calpurnia sighed as she saw Jem sit his head down on the kitchen table.

"Well, I normally think your father's right and sane, but now is the first time in my life that I'm not so sure anymore.."

And they both stared at the crows that lingered around the Radley backyard. And the big Radley pecan tree. And even on their back porch.

Finally, almost, it seemed screaming was coming from all areas.

He could hear the scream of Stephanie Crawford, which normally cried wolf. He could hear the scream of Maudie Atkinson, who never screamed at all. And then, lastly, he heard Scout, who he could tell was holding in tightly to his father.

What seemed like hours was maybe a second as Jem ran across the house and through the screen door.

Crows were flying everywhere and attacking people left and right, kind of like how Bob Ewell had with his children, and _especially_ his eldest daughter.

He tried to hear in front of Atticus to try and comfort his younger sister, but was pushed back behind his father, along with Scout.

"Do you remember when I said it was a sin to kill a mockingbird?" He questioned his children, who nodded their heads profusely in response.

"Well, children, today and maybe forever, we might have to make an exception."

As the birds approached their porch,Atticus shot them down one by one.

One Shot Finch was back, and it wasn't by choice.

In the name of God, he had to do his duty.


	2. Chapter 2

Bullets rang through the air all afternoon. The town seemed to know the drill. When a bird flew by, even a mockingbird, Atticus had to shoot it down.

Stephanie Crawford had went into a panic and drove off to Birmingham. Maudie took refuge in the Finch family home. Heck Tate monitored the rest of the town and frequently provided Atticus with ammunition.

Atticus had quite the job on his hands. Not only did he have to spend his day shooting a gun he had sworn not to touch, he had to comfort Scout almost every second he could. That afternoon, even with the gun, they were attached by the hip. Literally.

The last swarm of birds had just swapped over Maycomb for the evening and Atticus told Jem to watch for birds. He was going to go to bed.

"An old man needs his rest, son. Make sure nothing happens. Make sure we're all safe."

Jem nodded his head and sat outside on the porch.

Meanwhile, with Scout still by his side, Atticus laid down in his bed. He held his daughter close and felt her warm, silent tears on his shirt.

"Scout, are you all right?" He tried to calm her and give her solace. It was all he _could_ do anymore with the birds ravaging all over Maycomb.

"I'm scared, Atticus. I'm scared.. The birds are just... So.. " She tried to speak, but broke down in tears again.

Atticus squeezed her tightly. "I'm scared too, but I know we can get through this, Scout. None of these birds are mockingbirds. Even if they look like them. They're monsters. And I'm not going to let a single monster get you. First thing tomorrow, we're driving to the landing. It's the safest thing for all of us."

"But what if Aunty released the birds? Because she doesn't like seeing me in pants? "

Atticus laughed at his daughter's innocent comment. "Of course not! She doesn't love your overalls, but it doesn't mean she doesn't love you! If I know one thing about this mess, I know that she did _not_ cause it!"

"Atticus, what about Arthur? He still hasn't come out of the house.. I know he didn't do it, but I wonder if he's okay. "

"I think he's scared like us, that's all. I wouldn't come out either, baby. Trust me. "

Scout agreed with him, "Uh huh!" She yawned and wrapped her arms around her father.

"Good night, Atticus." She said, sleepily. "I love you. "

"Good night, Scout. I love you too." He kissed her forehead as she drifted off into sleep. Later, he drifted off too.

Jem tried hard to stay awake on the porch as he saw no sign of the birds.

He was about to drift off when a shadow appeared on the sidewalk. It caused him to become more alert and he began to sit up straight again.

"Who goes there?" He questioned the shadow, as it made it's way to the porch steps.

"Arthur Radley. You remember me, don't you?"

Jem tried not to give off a look of shock, but his mouth was wide open.

"Yes, sir! I do! What do you need so late at night?"

"I can take over from here. I want to help you. " Arthur was stern, yet kind to the boy. "Go inside and sleep. I'll see you in the morning." He calmly grasped Jem's hand for one second, and then watched him walk away.

Jem went to his room and tried to drift off.

This time, he couldn't.


	3. Chapter 3

Despite the horrors going on in town, breakfast for the Finch family was still just as good as ever.

As a suddenly new full time resident of the Finch home, Calpurnia woke up bright and early to make blueberry pancakes, bacon, and eggs for the family and herself. She was shocked when she saw a pale, tired man fast asleep on the couch, and she was shocked to see that the birds hadn't come at all in the night.

Meanwhile, Jem rushed upstairs to Scout's room. He knew he _had_ to tell her about his encounter with Boo Radley.

When he saw she wasn't there, he went to his father's room. And sure enough, there she was, cuddled up right against their father's chest, fast asleep.

"Scout!" He whispered and nudged his sister's shoulder. "Scout!"

"What?" She didn't look at him, and wanted to keep sleeping.

"Scout, I saw Boo Radley last night."

"Sure you did." She then fell back asleep, forgetting about what her brother had said.

Jem was disappointed she didn't listen, and went back to be also.

So, Calpurnia clled Scout, Atticus, Jem, and Maudie down for breakfast. They all arrived and tiredly trudged their feet to the table. Even the normally awake Atticus had a hard time keeping his eyes open, having gone through a sleepless night think about his children's safety. And of course, the birds.

Finally, after what felt like hours of anticipation for Jem, Boo Radley walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Arthur!" Atticus greeted his new guest and invited him to sit at the table.

"Good morning." He gave Atticus a small smile. He sat silently at the only empty chair and was given a plate. He ate and said nothing to anyone else.

Jem tried to ask questions but was silenced by his father.

After breakfast, bags were packed and ready to go to the landing. It was the safest place in the county, and unless the birds would go away, they were thinking of leaving not just the county, but the state.

Just as they prepared to walk out the door, Atticus took a look out the window and saw an unbelievable sight.

Birds. Crows, seagulls, and even mockingbirds lined the entirety of the driveway, leading right up to the doors of the car house.

In other words, unless they avoided the birds, there was no way out.

Atticus watched the birds calmly sit in the driveway, and Scout clung to him, trying not to cry.

"We'll never get out, Atticus! We'll never get out!"

With the gun in his hand, Atticus looked down at his young daughter and put a hand on her shoulder.

"We can and we will, Scout. We will with corse we have, real courage. If you don't remember from before, real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. And we'll see this through. We'll see through these rotten days with these rotten birds. I know we will. "

He knelt down to his daughter and kissed her cheek. He put a hand on his son's shoulder. He waved to the others, and then walked outside to face the birds.

He stood at the edge of the driveway and could see the formerly easy to reach car house over the top of the birds head's. He hoisted the gun up to his shoulders and adjusted his tortoiseshell glasses.

He took one glimpse at the mockingbird sitting in front of the door, and took a shot.

The other birds got into defensive mode and flew in the air, trying to swoop towards his head.

He ran back into the house and shouted, "Block the windows! Quick!"

Everyone frantically blocked the windows and and shut the door to the upstairs. They shiveree, hiding in the bathroom as they waited for the wave of terror to pass over them.

Screams filled the air as the other neighbors rushed across the steets, crying for their lives.

The family and their friends waited out the mess almost silently.

Scout hid her face in her father's shirt. Maudie and Calpurnia held their arms around their legs. Jem sat in front of the door and kept his hands in his face. And Arthur, well, he sat in the bathtub and stared st the ceiling, thinking of how quiet it used to be.

Maycomb County had turned into pure hell. Not buts about it. There was no rich or poor anymore; no black or white either.

There was only one thing that cemented any boundary in the town anymore.

Living or dead, pecked or not. And this town, this town was _licked._


	4. Chapter 4

Meanwhile, on the other end of town, Mayella Ewell held her face in her hands and sobbed.

Six small bodies laid it the yard, and the geraniums were covered in burgundy. Not only that, but they were crushed under the weight of her youngest brother, Burris, whose eyes were pecked away by the birds.

She cried because she failed her mother. She cried because she tried so hard to provide for her family within the boundaries of the law. And of course, with a little help from town's charity in between.

 _Mama, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of y'all, except Papa.. He got what came to ''im._

The story of her father was a murky one. One that involved the Tom Robinson trial, which she knew was won by lies. Even on her own side, and she knew that. She knew she had to lie and hold back the truth and her true,romantic feelings for Tom.

Though she knew Atticus was only trying to be gentle during her time on the stand, she had to fake it. The feelings of anger and almost everything else.

She felt terrible about it. So, so terrible. She tried to commit suicide, but to no avail.

That night, her father had taken the only weapon they possessed, a kitchen knife, and tried to kill the Finch children instead.

Not only was that effort failed, he didn't come home that night. He was on a drunken rampage. And truthfully, she was relieved.

She was almost happy. She tried to save the smile she had and wanted to bottle it up. And until the birds came, she took it for granted.

Now, she was the sole survivor of her family, and she had only one place to turn.

The Finch house.

She got up on her shaky legs and walked down the gravel road covered in blood, sweat, and tears. She tried hard to forget about it all. The kids, the birds, and Tom.

But she couldn't, and her mind moved in a thousand different directions.

 _I can't apologize if he's dead. I can't!_

She dragged her feet until she saw more birds. And more, and more, and more. All the way until she saw Atticus shoot a mockingbird in his yard.

After he shot the one bird down, more flew in the air. They tried to bite at their hair and peck their eyes out. Mayella ducked and Atticus kept shooting, trying to move the birds away with his gun in the process.

By the end of the rampage, Mayella was cowering on the ground, covering her face and upper body to be protected by the birds.

Atticus saw her on the ground and knew who she was right away. He walked over to her and put a sportive hand on her shoulder.

Despite what she had done, he forgave her. It was the right, just, and moral thing to do.

"Miss Mayella, I have no mean to offend you, but what are you doing here?" He questioned the young woman as he had in court.

She shivered and sat up on the asphalt. "I came for help, Mister Finch."

"Why? What do you need?"

"I... I... My..." She stuttered and stopped speaking. She put her hands in her face and began to cry.

"Your siblings? Is that what it is, Mayella? I know it's been hard for you lately. . Are they hungry?"

"You don't understand, Mister Finch!" Mayella shouted, causing even Scout to be alerted on the inside of the house. "You don't understand! They're dead, Mister Finch! They're dead! And the birds killed them!"

Atticus's eyes widened, his shoulders slumped, and his heart sank. He imagined his own children, Scout and Jem dying and in turn, falling as ultimate victims to the birds. Tears were forming in his eyes as he stared at Mayella, still as frightened as she had been in the trial.

"I'll help you." He said, trying hard straighten his posture. "I'll help you, and not only that, but you will help me. You'll help me and we'll help you get through this. We have to. We need to. and maybe, these retched birds will wipe out racism in this county. Because we have to band together to stop them, black _and_ white."

His statement made her smile, and it gave them both hope. From the inside, almost everyone was watching from the windows. Scout had wide eyes, not in shock, bit in happiness. Her smile spread across her face.

She was proud of her father for doing good, and proud of Mayella for finally standing up for herself, as she felt hadn't happened in the trial.

"You're right, Mister Finch. I can help you.. It'll repay you for what I've done.. Won't it?"

"Of course it will, Mayella. Would you like to go with us to the landing? It's safer. For now, anyway. We've got a whole group you can speak to. About anything. You can trust us, I promise."

They began to walk in the house, and Mayella laughed.

"You make a lot of promises, Mister Finch. Are you sure you can keep them?"

Atticus opened the door for her and let her in. Scout heard Mayella's question and answered it for her father.

"Yes, he can! He always has." She ran into her father's arms. "Are we leaving now, are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay, Scout! And we're going. We're going right now."

With one hand on the handle of a suitcase and the other in Scout's, he was the first to walk out the door. His son and Cal shortly followed. Maudie, Boo, and Mayella were the last. They all finally got in the Chevy.

And they finally drove to the landing.


	5. Chapter 5

Alexandra expected no visitors. Especially after what she heard happened in Maycomb. She was fast asleep on the couch when the doorbell rang and almost never woke up to answer it.

It was a time of many firsts for her.

First, though she _had_ entertained many large parties before, she _never_ had such an eclectic group.

Secondly, it was the first time she ever saw Mayella Ewell in person. Her heart ached for the young woman, and the whole group at the door. Which leads to my final point.

Lastly, she had only been called for help by Atticus one other time, which was during the trial. She only moved back home the week before, and now, this? It was unimaginable!

Even with all of this, she let them back in, and began to become distressed.

"Atticus, what happened? Why do you have all these people with you? Are you all right?"

Atticus picked his daughter up from the ground and held her close. "I don't know..."

Alexandra frowned, not liking seeing her brother in such a state. "I don't think you are. Just please, get some rest."

Atticus sighed. "You're probably right. I'll be off to bed." He looked over at Scout, who had fallen asleep in his arms. "And Scout too." He laughed, and his sister laughed as well.

Alexandra crossed her arms and watched her brother and niece go up the stairs.

"And... How about the rest of you? Do I need to cook you some lunch? Or a snack?"

Jem immediately jumped at the opportunity. "I do! I'm starving, Auntie! And I'm sure Arthur is too."

Mayella nodded her head. "I haven't eaten all day, ma'am."

Alexandra smiled. "Perfect. Because I'm gonna cook you the best lunch you've had in years!"

"I'm sure you are, ma'am. Do you need help?"

"No dear, I'm fine. Just sit in the parlor and wait. Read, relax! Do something.. Read a book! I'm letting you just sit back, because I know you've worked every day of your life."

Mayella looked shocked, but headed to the parlor and sat down on the red, velvet loveseat.

She stared at the room, shocked by it's luxurious fixtures and furniture. Only Arthur Radley sat next to her on the couch, while Jem went outside with his uncle and Calpurnia went to help Alexandra in the kitchen.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Boo questioned her, as she rubbed her hands on the couch, feeling the texture of the velvet.

"Huh?"

"Isn't it... Strange?" He asked again. "This room, isn't it different?"

Mayella grinned. "Well, yes. It's pretty. Too pretty to... Even.."

"Fathom?"

 _"Fathom? "_

"To understand, to explain. Do you think that's what you meant?

"Yes.." She looked at Arthur in wonder. "How do you know such big words?"

"I read. I read a lot. I was in the house all the time alone and I learned them. This is the most I've said to anyone lately.. What's your name?"

"Mayella." She looked at him and then turned away. "Why didn't we speak in the car? How come I don't know you?"

"I don't like to go out much. Not at all, really. My name is Arthur. Boo."

Mayella's eyes widened, "You mean Boo Radley? The one who stabbed his father in the legs with scissors?" '

"That's not true. And I didn't rot in the courthouse either. Those are just fables. And nothing else."

"Then what happened to you, really?"

"I was kept there, to turn into a ghost."

Alexandra called for dinner, and the conversation was almost completely forgotten. And both Mayella and Arthur ate more than any of the others could chew.

It was the best meal that they had in years, and they were more than thankful for it.

The landing was silent and peaceful, and so far from the birds that all of them could almost completely forget about them.

As they had in the past, Scout and Atticus read together. They sat outside on a hammock by the river, eating from a copy of _The Gray Ghost._

Jem was nearby, fishing on the dock, hoping he could catch dinner for the evening. Arthur, Boo, was beside him, simply dipping his feet in the water.

Alexandra, Mayella, Maudie, and Calpurnia were all in the kitchen together, just thinking amongst themselves.

Alexandra was not one to normally tolerate the ones who were not her equals. She once spoke of Mayella's family horribly, and likewise with Cal. Despite those things, two important forces helped her learn the how to be more moral and tolerant of other people.

One was one who had been around her entire life, her brother, Atticus. The other was one that had come quite recently.

The birds.

The birds were of course, a tragedy. They had killed tens, maybe more of Maycomb County's residents, and had brought together rich and poor, black and white, in an equal struggle and fight to save their society as they knew it.

Race, wealth, and power were of the least of their concerns. The only concerns of anyone at the time was simply trying to get by.

Due to that, the trains still ran and citizens still operated the station. And one young boy with duckfluff hair still arrived in town, oblivious to the tragedy.

His Aunt Rachel waited for him at the station and drove him straight to Finch's Landing, with only one word before she turned back to leave Alabama for good.

"Mister Finch will take right good care of you, you understand?"

And Dill Harris only nodded his head before knocking on that door, not knowing that birds followed him there.


	6. Chapter 6

Alexandra was shocked by yet another guest, but let him inside anyway. She had no clue as to why Miss Rachel didn't take care of her nephew herself, but decided that asking and complaining would only lead to more conflict.

She needed to clear her head, so she took a pitcher of lemonade and some glasses to the river, where she knew her brother and his children would be.

When she arrived, Scout and Atticus were sitting in her hammock. So, she sat in a chair on the dock. She put the glasses and pitcher on the table nearby.

"I brought lemonade! " She shouted, as always, she made sure she made quite the entrance.

Not a second later, the entire Finch family came to grab a fresh glass.

"Thanks, Aunty!" Jem grabbed two glasses and went back to fishing.

Jem gave Boo his glass of lemonade. As a result, Boo laughed and ruffled Jem's hair.

Atticus and Scout, meanwhile, tried to rush to the hammock, but were beat by Alexandra, who took it for herself.

The father and daughter were disappointed, and took Alexandra's chair.

"That's what you get, brother. " Alexandra kicked back on her hammock and sipped her lemonade.

"For what? " Atticus asked.

"For intruding on myterritory!"

Atticus laughed, "Very funny, sister. But please remember, this is _Finch_ territory."

Alexandra rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Well, maybe you should have stayed here then, don't you think? "

Before Atticus could comment, they heard a horrid sound in the distance.

The birds.

"Run!" Jem screamed, and everyone darted back to the house, back to safety.

When everyone arrived, they headed into the basement for cover.

It wasn't long before a black cloud of crows covered the sky of Finch's Landing. And it wasn't long before Dill began asking questions either.

"What's going on out there?" He tried to look up at Atticus in the dark, but couldn't see him.

"Dill, have you heard of the birds? "

"The mockingbirds, Mister Finch? "

Atticus chuckled, and pulled his daughter closer to him. "No, Dill, _the_ birds. They're not just your everyday birds, they're savages. They try to kill us. In fact... "

Atticus was reluctant about mentioning it, until Mayella whispered, "It's okay... Mister Finch."

Atticus responded the only way he could, by continuation. "Mayella's entire family was killed by those birds. They're just monstrous, Dill. Your aunt probably dropped you off here because she knew you'd be safer here."

"Well, where is she?"

"She's at her house, she's the only person left living on our street, for now, anyway. Everyone else left because it's too dangerous to live there. I know sometime, Dill, we'll be able to go back. I promise."

Scout looked up at her father, "Promise?"

"Promise." He tried to keep calm as he held his daughter in his arms, and as the screeches of the birds became louder and louder.

The basement was quiet for hours and hours until the last bird was gone.

Atticus checked to see of the coast was clear, and it was, so everyone came up from the basement.

The house wasn't damaged at all, not one bit.

The windows were unbroken And the walls were still solid. The roof was still over their heads.

On the kitchen table was a glass sculpture of a mockingbird. In it's prime, it projected innocence and glistened on family Christmases.

Now, it was in three pieces, broken and shattered.

It was all those birds touched in the house. And it was symbolism. Symbolism for one thing and one thing only.

Those birds weren't innocent, and anyone left in their path wouldn't be either.

Instead of resuming their normal, calm activities, the group stood together frightened.

Atticus and Jack held guns in their hands, waiting for the birds to strike once again.


	7. Chapter 7

The birds were mad, just mad. And the basement became a salvation. It became _everything._

They slept there. They ate there.

They _survived_ there.

They felt as if the were clinging to life, as if the former world was a mere memory.

"Atticus.. We was finally gettin' better.."

The voice stuttered in the darkness, and spoke to the man that was slightly illuminated by the oil lantern.

It was the voice of Mayella Ewell.

"Well.. How so?" He questioned the young woman.

Mayella shivered, but answered anyhow. "I was sendin' the littleuns to school.. I was cooking and cleanin' real good and working at the diner. Making money to get by.. We's always been poor, but not as poor. Nobody was gettin' hit no more either. Then... They died. Just like that!"

It seemed that through her interaction with the folks at the diner, she had somewhat outgrown her dialect, but in times of trouble, it came back.

It was okay, she was still taken seriously. She was one of the survivors. They all shared stories, and they all listened.

"It's been hard for all of us lately, but I can understand that it's been the most challenging for you. You are in our prayers, Mayella. "

Though she was still a bit biased, Alexandra held her head down and folded her hands together.

 _Dear Lord, help us in this time of trouble. It's too. The birds are too much. None of us can handle this anymore. Save us, Lord, all of us. Redeem us._

The others shivered in fear, except Atticus.

He kept himself as calm as he could, even though he was just as frightened himself.

If he was calm, others would be calm. It was almost like a science to him. A science he had learned when I'm here became a parent.

While Alexandra kept her hands folded, Maudie and Calpurnia confided in each other through whispers .

 _"We lost everything. Admit it. We lost everything."_

The birds flew away again, and the group all got out of the basement.

Atticus was sure they'd come back. So sure, in fact, that he knew it was unsafe. They had to go elsewhere.

Essentially, elsewhere meant not just out of Maycomb, but out of Alabama itself.

Everyone rushed to grab their things. And before they left, another swarm hit them again.

To almost everyone, it was a familiar instance. It was when a whole hoard was sitting on their driveway.

One by one, almost in age order, have group hopped into the car, cramming close together. All of them, except Atticus and Boo.

Atticus held up his gun, adjusted his glasses, and shot a few seagulls to clear the way.

Just as he was about to take aim again, Boo took his gun and shot at mockingbird.

 _In other words, Boo Radley killed a mockingbird. And he committed a sin._

Atticus and Boo only squinted at the sight for a split second. Atticus put his hand on Boo's shoulder and they both walked into the car.

When the engine hummed, they headed to elsewhere.

To safety.


End file.
